Humility, Prerequisite to Torah

Farbrengen, 19 Kislev, 5743 • December 5, 1982

When recording the chain of passing down the Torah, Ethics of the Fathers states that the Torah was received by Moses from Sinai. Why the emphasis on this particular individual and this particular location?
Moses and Sinai each stand for unique traits that must distinguish anyone true student of Torah – one who is to receive the Torah in his or her own life.

When recording the chain of passing down the Torah, Ethics of the Fathers states that the Torah was received by Moses from Sinai. Why the emphasis on this particular individual and this particular location?

Moses and Sinai each stand for unique traits that must distinguish anyone true student of Torah – one who is to receive the Torah in his or her own life.

Sinai was unique in that it was “the lowest of all mountains.” Yet it was a mountain, not a valley; one must truly be great as ‘a mountain,’ but humble as a valley. Moses, who gave us the teachings that guide us for all generations, was “humble before every person on the face of the earth.” This is the perfect balance of humility and greatness required in order to receive the Torah.

If one ventures to criticize a fellow Jew, he must first make sure that he is as humble as Moses.